Recent guest reviews

Being a nature lover, Boulder Ridge Villas are amazing! I've been and rated the original Old Faithful Inn in YNP and Disney out did themselves. 90% is an exact replica of the Old Faithful Inn and done extremely well in the details. Of course Disney adds their own touch which is amazing too. Everything blends so well. The Villas are nice and very roomy for a family of 4+! Room came with a small kitchen that included: fridge, oven, microwave, sink & cooking supplies. Couch in living room made into a full size bed. TV included. Patio door that led outside to a small sitting area with great views. From this area you can walk to a second patio door that opens to the master bedroom. This bedroom included a king size bed with a TV and plenty of storage. All rooms connected to the main bathroom that included a closed off restroom. Master bath has jetted tub, double sinks and closet. Plenty of room! Laundry available in room as well that included soap, dryer sheets and basket. Excellent!!

We just completed a stay at the Boulder Ridge Villas at WDW. It was a family vacation for a special occasion consisting on 7 adults. After much time researching we chose this resort for its closeness to Magic Kingdom and the ability of alternate transportation. We had requested a 2 bedroom villa on 5th floor with bay view on numerous occasions by telephonic, emails, test and travel agent. Needless to say when checking was told no one had record of our request. After much talking was able to get a 2 bedroom bay view villa on 4th floor room 4507. Outstanding room, so even though was disappointed by lack of communications room was great. I cannot say enough of the wonderful time we had at the resort and the location that allowed us to come and go individually or as a group. Even when door pass system failed, after a few hours while we were at park, they repaired system (battery) and even left a small box of chocolates for us. House keeping came daily(except on weekend), We were well pleased with room and cleanliness of the room (dishwasher did not do a good job of cleaning dishes). Pool at both locations and hot tubs were great to relax in. There were daily activities conducted and bikes and boats to rent. We rented bikes and rode over to Wilderness Campgrounds and viewed the Christmas lights. Only complaint about the boats or bikes, is that you have to be back by 5pm, plus even though you have a the required "cc" on file. Everyone riding must be present to sign for bikes. Seem like over kill, isn't that what the "cc" on file is for? I cannot say enough wonderful things about the resort. Now I must say it is very expensive, even with the discount we received it was expensive to the point of almost being too expensive. Also since this was a special occasions and we have vacationed at WDW for many years, this was out first time staying at a resort, with being said we did not get the "magical" feel we were expecting for the cost. We had read on many sites and saw pictures were housekeeping would leave Disney creations on bed with towels and that if you were the button given at front desk to show the special occasion the eateries would do something special , none of this happened. Also heard the "special" occasions would also receiving some Disney pins this also did not happen. I hope this was just oversight or maybe low staffed at time of our stay. But really didn't get the "Disney magic" feel we were expecting. We were able to see light parade each night on bay, and by walking to boat landing most of firework's from Magic Kingdom.

We thought the Boardwalk Villas were our favorite hotel, but we now have a favorite. We are DVC with our home resort as Saratoga Springs, but we try to book at other resorts because we don't like how large Saratoga is. Somehow, I got a 2 bedroom villa at the Wilderness Lodge where we could check in on New Year's Day and stay through the weekend.
The best part of the resort is that it looks gigantic, but everything is so close. There are exits throughout the building so that you can take a short cut to the food, boats, pools, etc. With many of the Disney resorts, everything seems so far away! Usually at the Deluxe Villas, we don't utilize the drink mugs as much as we should because the machines are so far from our room. But, we just had to go down to the main level, walk out a side door, and then walk across to the entrance of the Roaring Fork.
We traveled with our 18 year old son and 21 year old daughter, and they each brought a friend. There were six adults in villa, and we had plenty of room. I have read that people don't like the kitchen layout because it is small for DVC, but we don't cook while on vacation - so, it was a perfect layout for us. The bedrooms were large, and the bathrooms were very clean and nice. The master bedroom in 5134 got so much colder than the other rooms. So, my husband and I were cold the entire time. Sadly, it took us three nights to finally call down and get more blankets! Make sure to ask for one when you check in if you get cold.
My only complaint about the Deluxe Villas is that there are not that the quick service food has limited choices. If you are there for a week, you get tired of the same things over and over when you want a quick bite to eat.
The busses were not overcrowded - even during the holidays. And, the boats were super convenient to get around. We would even ride over to the Contemporary just to get our favorite Joffrey's coffee in the afternoon. We did find that we used an UBER very often on this trip. They are really inexpensive, and it is so nice to be dropped off in a prime location.
We loved all of the activities at the Wilderness Lodge. We rented a pontoon for one hour and drove all around. We went by the old River Country, Discovery Island, and got great pics by the Magic Kingdom. This was the first time we had ever done this and wondered why it took 20 years for us to do so. It was honestly cheaper than playing miniature golf at Fantasia Gardens for all of us - well under $100 with the DVC discount. We also rented bikes and rode around the Lodge area and over to the campgrounds, and this was a nice break from fighting the crowds in the park. The grounds are beautiful, and we played ping pong and cornhole together as family. These are simple things we could do at home, but it seems like everyone is so busy with work and school that we don't take the time at home to do them!
Disney is so chaotic, but this resort was a nice reprieve from that.

I own DVC points at the resort and I have really enjoyed staying here since the Copper Creek construction improved the layout of the property. I requested a bay lake tower view (requests are never guaranteed) and when I checked in I was told I had received this request. However, when my studio room became available I had a room on the second floor facing the main inn. Fortunately, someone worked some magic and I got relocated to a bay lake view. One of the things my husband and I noticed about the property is that the carpet in the villas is looking a bit worn. I also noticed that the wood on the doors and the wood trim in the room is looking a bit worn as well. I understand the theme of this resort - back to the time of the railroad boom. Butt there's a difference between worn out and keeping to the theme. Despite that, the studio is cute. I even decorated for Christmas. The new pool is amazing. Walking through the resort is lovely. I highly recommend the lodge tour which is given at 9am Weds - Sunday. This is such a great way to learn about the history of the lodge.

Stayed here last week in Nov , first week in dec. first impressions as we drove up were, WOW, the sight of the wilderness lodge decorated for Christmas is amazing. Then we walked in the main lobby, pictures you see do not do it justice, stunning building with a massive Christmas tree in the centre.
Check in was a breeze, directed us to Boulder Ridge, we had a 2 bed villa which overlooked the pool and lake on the 4th floor, stunning views.
2 great sized bedrooms and bathrooms and a more than adequate lounge and kitchen.
You know you are in a Disney hotel but it is not in your face , just right for us.
Roaring Fork, great for breakfast, we never got back in time to eat here any other time.
Geyser Point, sandwiches and chicken wings, with a nice beer and relaxed surroundings, perfect after a hectic day.
Both pool ares were great, for kids too.
Overall for our party of four adults it was just what we ordered, great rooms in an absolutely gorgeous setting with that magical touch of Disney.
Already sorting our next 3 WEEK stay.

We loved it. So close to Magic and only 10-15 minutes to other parks. Resort is large but small enough you don't walk for days to get to anything. We had a 1 bed room villa and the kids slept on the pull out in the living room. They said it was very comfortable. We felt the master bed was quite soft. The water throughout the resort stunk really bad, even more than usual. It was so strong this time, it changed the flavor of the sodas. So we ended up carrying more water with us and ordered only bottled water in restaurants that did not filter.

We decided to stay at Boulder Ridge because of the surroundings. This was our third resort stay It was really great having the pine trees and all the wood really felt like a lodge in Yellowstone. The room was a good size, but the kitchen area is cramped. More than one person in the prep area was causing us to bump into each other. We were in a 2 bedroom, 2 bath unit. The rooms had plenty of space and the bathrooms were huge. All the visuals were great. Unfortunately, when I climbed into bed, I was extremely disappointed. The bed was so soft and uncomfortable, I woke up with a sore back each morning. My daughter and her husband had the same problem. We didn't know if it was an old mattress or just the memory foam top type of bed, but it was awful. Staff quickly came to take care of a burnt out light bulb, which is the only thing we asked for. The ride to the parks was just a short walk out the front door to the bus stop. If you want to go by water, the boat landing is a bit of a hike away. Water in the shower was spotty as far as temperatures, and the last day of our 5 night reservation we had no hot water. It was only warm at best. The temperature outside was actually beautiful during our time there, and we were able to try out the two pools with our granddaughter, a special bonus for a winter getaway. We really appreciate the heated pools Disney always provides. The full kitchen allowed us to save money by making most of our own simple meals.

We were all looking forward to our trip so muchthree weeks in Disney!!! Yes that’s ALOT of money spent!! Yes in a deluxe resort but that’s because we wanted a deluxe resort!
Which is not what we got.
We first stayed in Disney at Polynesian resort in 2016 and had an amazing stay!! But on our trip to the hotel via Disney’s magical express we literally saw the wilderness lodge and said wow!! It looks gorgeous so we decided to stay on our next trip which was this year September to October!
Upon arrival we checked in and wen to bell services for help up to the room.
The room was at first glance everything we expected, it’s not as big as poly and as such we did feel cramped especially the bathroom which is ridiculously small!!
So on stepping into the room it felt like an icebox!!! Erm are we in Florida?!? We live in England so we’re well used to cold weather but wow why did the air on need to be on like -5?!?
Anyway after turning off the aircon (or so we thought) it warmed up a little, we went to bed and after a 9 hour plane journey and a total of around 12-14 traveling we were all tired. Except the room was still cold we figured out that the aircon although turned off was still blowing air?????
At 2am after my daughter and husband had been coughing all night due to the air blowing (they are both severely asthmatic) and my other daughter sneezing all night we were all awake and unable to sleep so I had to take a hot shower to try and warm up!!! (If you can bend down low enough to get under the shower!) Erm still why when we’re in Florida am I taking hot showers to warm up??!!
We left the room as I didn’t want to wake other guests as our children were wide awake! We walked around this beautiful resort at 4am which was lovely! We found a tv on in the lobby with the Disney channel on for the kids so while they were watching the tv I spoke to guest services.
I raised that we were not happy with the room and with 21 nights booked it would make my family very ill to stay in it with the aircon issues and I wasn’t that pleased I had to break my back backwards to wash my hair in the shower!
The bath is very shallow and is very short so basically cold and this was one thing my husband had been looking forward to as we don’t have a bath at home an he misses them! So he sat in the shallow bath which he didn’t fit in!!
She told me to come back if the issues still bothered us which after the following night it was so off I went to speak to someone again.
My husband worked so hard for this holiday for us all and I did not feel we should have to suffer in this cold and Unhealthy room. I spoke to a manager who listened and took on board my concerns, after investigation it turns out the rooms are on a central air system which does not ever turn completely off!! To which she offered us an upgrade and move over to copper creek which doesn’t work on the same system. It would be the next day day so we needed to be out of the room before 11am.
6:30am the following morning I received a message via the room phone to contact to agree the move and to be checked out before 11am. So I decided to go to the front desk via heading to breakfast to confirm with them we would be out by 11am.
I was met with a gentleman who was rather rude, expressing that the manger the previous night should not have said we would be upgraded and moved to copper creek and they needed to check with room services to agree the upgrade (which the manager the previous night already did) so he asked me to wait while he contacted them. He then came over to confirm our room change. I then left to head to the room to ensure al our belongs were ready to move.
Upon waking in the door my husband said he’d had a call to say they couldn’t move us as they don’t have rooms for 5, (I’d literally just left the front desk?!?!?) which they do and they told us we would be moving to a two bedroom hence the confirmation TWICE to agree the move. So I was like SERIOUSLY!?
I then went downstairs again and this time spoke to the concierge who was now manning the desk at boulder ridge and told him my woes
So far we’d been told the rooms were all the same all over the resort then the rooms at copper creek are not the same (hence the change offer) the gentleman tried to help us by getting the engineers in to turn the aircon off and on as it turned out they could do it by coming in the room to the manual control panel and turning it off to which I said was not acceptable and my husband was rather upset at the idea of room
Invasion early in the morning and before we go to bed?! We have three children and are on holiday with plans set up to various days and night so we could have been in bed anytime napping or lying in after a late night!!
So we were moved rooms, with guess what! EXACTLY THE SAME ISSUES
By this point my husband was very stressed!! He does not like confrontational issues and hates making a fuss but I could see it was making him and my daughter poorly!!
The engineers came and told us the truth about the air systems after the mixed information I received from 7 separate people!! Boulder ridge is on a central air system and copper creek is not (so we were lied to multiple times)
After all this my husband asked me to stop as they were clearly not going to help us. So my husband and daughter continued to suffer cutting our days short due to my daughter starting to feel really tired due to her breathing being affected days later she had a bath asthma attack in the night and multiple on our stay when her asthmas had been stable and no attacks for two years!. Since getting home from holiday my husband had to be sent home from work and have 5 days of high dose steroids as his asthma had got that bad due to the conditions we stayed in for three weeks!!
I really wanted to leave a great review as I’d found the reviews extremely helpful before we went on our trip, but I was not expecting to have such a traumatic experience.
So be warned those with respiratory issues you may need your inhalers ALOT
I am so disappointed in this trip and I will
Never stay at the wilderness lodge again!
Now we need to save up the tens of thousands of pounds to return to Disney as we love Disney world! But we will go back to the Polynesian where we feel welcome!!
I’m disgusted in our treatment in this trip!
I cried when we went to the Polynesian for dinner as I wanted to go back to somewhere we would actually not be sick!!
Photos I took to show the room size as no one seems to put pictures of the sofa bed pulled out!

We stay here a few times each year. Always a nice room, vintage themed so not modern. Our studio room is big enough for 2 adults and a large child utilising the clever bed that pulls out from the wall. Theres also a decent bed setee for another 2 people. The main bed is only a double though they could easily fit a larger bed in there. Small functional kitchen with microwave, small fridge freezer, toaster and coffee maker. Standard bathroom with tub and shower over and separate vanity area with sink. The AC unit now seems pre-set on 70f even if you turn it lower. Just about a comfortable temperature and quiet system. We have often had to request maintenance to adjust the system to make it cooler. Rooms have small balcony with patio furniture set or small patio on ground floor units. The Lodge itself is awesome especially the tall foyer. All the usual Disney facilities, one basic and one posh restaurant, decent food court, health club, 2 large pools with ample seating. Also a new outside bar/ restaurant where the beach used to be. Shame there's no beach now. There's also laundry and ice facilities on some floors. Great concierge named Kirk in Boulder Ridge and ask for Jack if you want to be on the list to raise the Disney flags on the roof, Great views and an unforgettable experience behind the scenes.

I've stayed at Wilderness Lodge several times in the past in their regular rooms and also Copper Creek but this was my first stay at Boulder Ridge. I chose it of course because of its location and amenities but it was also the only resort on Walt Disney World property I hadn't yet stayed in.
When we arrived our room wasn't ready but no big deal; we had lunch at Geyser Point which was very good (cheesy barbecue brisket and crispy chicken sandwich). I will say the boxed sangria they offer should be a crime though.
The woman who checked us in (Connie maybe? I forget her name) was very nice and chatted me up for quite a while. She said the room we were assigned to had a nice view of the lake but when we got to the room that wasn't the case. 2nd floor = no real view of the lake. Could see some of the pool and cabins but that was about it.
One of the closet doors was completely off its hinges, there was a pretty big smudge mark on the sliding glass door (several inches tall and wide) and 1 of the sink stoppers in the bathroom had been pulled out of the drain (presumably to be cleaned) but it was just laying in the sink with visible dried soap or toothpaste scum on it. On the 2nd night I also found the fan in the bedroom had either high speed or off. The medium and low options didn't work and turned the fan off. Those items were definitely a little disappointing.
We enjoyed a decent amount of time at the resort with a 2nd stop at Geyser Point for drinks at night and an awesome view of the Electrical Water Pageant, breakfast at Roaring Fork and Whispering Canyon and of course taking the boat to/from Magic Kingdom.
Such a beautiful resort with great amenities. I look forward to staying again!

Hotel highlights

Steps from Walt Disney World® area and Walt Disney World® Resort

Free WiFi in rooms and public areas

Onsite dining

Marina

Located in Bay Lake, Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge is next to popular attractions like Walt Disney World® area and Walt Disney World® Resort. This 181-room, 4-star condo resort has a private beach, a marina, and 2 restaurants. On a lake, it's also near Walt Disney World® and Magic Kingdom® Park.

Dining

This condominium resort is home to 2 onsite restaurants, perfect for a quick bite to eat. Savor a meal from the comfort of your room with room service, or entertain your taste buds with a beverage at the bar/lounge or coffee shop/café. Start your day off with breakfast, available for a fee.

Rooms

Each condo is air-conditioned and has an array of amenities, including a balcony, a sofa bed, and a microwave. Guests can expect to find free WiFi and a TV with a DVD player. Other standard amenities include a coffee maker, a ceiling fan, and a hair dryer.

Property features

Guests of Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge have access to a private beach, a marina, and an outdoor pool. Parking is USD $24.00 per night (USD $33.00 per night for valet parking)—but if you prefer not to drive, catch a ride in the free airport shuttle (available 24 hours). The 24-hour front desk has staff standing by to help with tours/tickets and dry cleaning/laundry. Other amenities at this beach condominium resort include a children's pool, a health club, and a spa tub.

Internet

Public areas: Free WiFi

Guestrooms: Free WiFi

Drinking + Dining

2 restaurants and 1 coffee shop/café

1 bar/lounge and 1 pool bar

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner available

Room service offered

Having Fun

Boulder Ridge Villas at Disney's Wilderness Lodge features a private beach, a marina, and a health club. The condo resort has an outdoor pool, a children's pool, and a spa tub. A waterslide and a sauna are other recreation options.

Offsite Activities

Bicycle rentals

Location Highlights

Near theme parks

On a lake

Hotel Policies

Arrivals + Departures

The front desk is open 24 hours a day, and checking in and out are easy with express services. For convenient arrivals and departures, you can take advantage of the free airport shuttle (available 24 hours). Driving? This property offers parking (fees apply).

Check-in: 4 PM

Check-out: 11 AM

Special Check-in Details

24-hour airport transportation is available on request. Fees may apply. Guests can contact the property in advance for details.

Disney's Magical Express service provides roundtrip motorcoach transportation and luggage delivery to and from Orlando International Airport and select Walt Disney World Resort hotels. Guests who wish to utilize Disney’s Disney's Magical Express must make a reservation in advance through the Disney's Magical Express website.

Payment types

Kids + Beds

Children stay free when using existing bedding

Free cribs/infant beds are available

Pets

This property doesn't allow pets

Things To Know

Details about charges, deposits, or other important information:
Additional information about polices, regulations, and more:

Charges for extra guests may apply and vary depending on the property's policy.

A cash deposit or credit card for incidental charges, as well as a government-issued photo ID, are required at check-in.

Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in and can't be guaranteed. Certain requests may come with additional charges.

The following credit cards are accepted: American Express, Diners Club, Discover, JCB International, Mastercard, and Visa.

No rollaway or extra beds are available.

Charges for extra guests may apply and vary according to property policy. A cash deposit or credit card for incidental charges and government-issued photo identification are required upon check-in. Special requests are subject to availability at the time of check-in. Special requests can't be guaranteed and may incur additional charges.

Optional extras

These fees and deposits will be charged at check-in, check-out, or the time of service.

Self parking fee: USD $24.00 per night

Valet parking fee: USD $33.00 per night (in/out privileges)

This list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits might not include tax and are subject to change.

Promotions

Walt Disney World Resort Hotel Benefits
Guests staying at this Walt Disney World Resort hotel can enjoy the following benefits during their stay:
First access to reserve a limited number of Disney FastPass+ attractions and shows, up to 60 days before they arrive (theme park tickets required); extended theme park hours with Extra Magic Hours at 1 of the Disney theme park each day (theme park tickets required); complimentary resort transportation via motor coaches, ferries, and monorail, providing convenient ways to explore all the theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort; complimentary parking at Walt Disney World Resort hotels and theme parks; complimentary MagicBands to access Disney theme parks (theme park tickets required), unlock guestrooms, check in at FastPass+ entrances for previously selected attractions and entertainment, and make payments at shops and restaurants; complimentary roundtrip airport service between Orlando International Airport and select Resort Hotels via motor coach with Disney’s Magical Express, including luggage delivery straight to guestrooms; Resort Hotel entertainment, including themed pools with slides, outdoor Disney movie screenings, and Disney Character Dining experiences.
Valid Theme Park admission tickets and online registration required for Disney FastPass+ attractions and entertainment (the number of selections guests can can make and available arrival windows are limited). To book airport transportation, guests must contact the property in advance of arrival; contact information is provided on the booking confirmation email. Offer subject to availability. Restrictions and blackout dates may apply.